Transcend
by zeroshiki-san
Summary: Fuji Syusuke did not need a babysitter. He didn't. But four years later, HE was still there and hormones were starting to catch up to him.
1. Prologue: Day Care Provider

**Disclaimer: Do not own. Although I would pay anything for Fuji :3 haha**

* * *

"Nee-san, I don't need a babysitter," the child pouted.

"Hai hai," Yumiko said, rummaging through the cupboards. "I know, you'll be 10 in six months and you don't need watching over. But Syusuke," she turned to her little brother. "It would make Mom feel better if they knew you were safe."

"I can take care of myself," the boy mumbled, before smiling brightly at the spicy syrup being poured on his pancakes.

"He will be here this afternoon," she said, sprinkling powdered sugar onto her own pancakes. "_Behave_."

"Don't I always?" Fuji Syusuke smiled sweetly...deceivingly sweetly.

Yumiko ruffled his hair affectionately. "Yuuta's coming back from summer camp next week, so you'll have someone to play with soon."

Syusuke chewed on his blueberry pancakes and drank his pineapple-orange juice before speaking up again.

"I still don't think we should've sent him to that camp with Mituli," he declared, glaring menacingly at the table. Yumiko found it endearing.

"Yes, Mituli-kun is very bad," she humored her brother.

"And Yuuta should be kept away from bad influences," he insisted.

"You're so cute, Syusuke," Yumiko giggled.

"I know," he replied with a dazzling smile.

* * *

Syusuke was crossing off pictures of people he hated in his school yearbook when the doorbell rang.

"Ah, Tezuka-kun," he heard his mom say. "Please come inside. Syusuke is in the living room playing."

Syusuke felt indignant at that. He was not _playing_. He was strategically and resourcefully planning the doom of all the idiots who have ever crossed him. That was not _playing_.

He sat up on his knees when his day care provider (_not_ babysitter—he refused to think of himself needing a babysitter) entered the room. Syusuke blinked. That person didn't look _nearly_ as scary as he had imagined. And he wasn't old. Or a lady.

"Syusuke, this is Tezuka Kunimitsu," his mother told him, bending down to his eye level. "Be nice to him, ne? He'll take care of you while your daddy and I are away."

He watched as his mom showed the boy (who was really big) the emergency phone numbers and what to not eat in the refrigerator (those were in containers labeled with a red pepper and crossbones). Syusuke still said nothing as his mom kissed him on the cheek and waved goodbye.

For what seemed like an hour afterwards, he engaged Tezuka in a staring contest, his eyes wide and unreadable, Tezuka's emotionless and stoic.

Eventually, he turned around and went back to drawing horns on Mizuki's head. He heard Tezuka set his bag on the table in the dining room and heard the rustling of papers.

_Probably homework_, Syusuke thought, while coloring stars around Eiji's photo.

Around 1 o' clock, he heard the scrape of the chair and footsteps. Syusuke hummed a song while working on his math homework, later abandoning it in favor of drawing a comic where "X-san" and "Y-san" got married and had a kid, "Z-chan," who was squared because of its amazing mathematical cloning powers.

The little 4th year was surprised when Tezuka set a plate next to his book. There was a slightly greenish omelet sitting on the tray next to a cup of some guava-mango juice.

"Thank you…" Syusuke said hesitantly. He didn't remember nee-san putting a wasabi omelet in the fridge the night before. Did Tezuka make it himself? Okaa-san did say something about using a special recipe book for him.

"Aah," Tezuka said and then walked back to make a sandwich. He sighed. This kid was so…_odd_. Honestly, he would've rather spent this time going fishing with Atobe or playing tennis with Sanada, but his father had requested that he watch his friend's son, so he planned to do it to the best of his ability.

In the late afternoon, he was filling out a form for the art club's activities when he heard delicate, dainty footsteps approach. A honey-haired head appeared next to his arm in the next moment, looking at the papers.

"What's that?" Syusuke asked.

"Forms," Tezuka replied. The little boy stood there, resting his arms on Tezuka's wrist.

"Are you the student council president?" he asked, looking at Tezuka after reading the papers.

He blinked. Those forms included business-like texts. Did the 9 year old understand what he just read…? "Aah."

Syusuke grinned. "Wow, that's amazing."

The elementary school student sat with the junior high 2nd year for the rest of the evening, sitting in silence as he watched his day care provider write things down. Tezuka wondered how he could stay interested in that, but dismissed it as another of the child's weird traits.

He left at eight o' clock with a short bow and started the walk home. Yumiko, who had come to relieve him, walked over to her little brother, who was cheerfully smiling at the table with his hands supporting his head. He swung his legs back and forth with a cheerful beat.

"So, how was Tezuka?" Yumiko asked, sitting across from him. Syusuke opened his large blue eyes.

"He'll do."

* * *

**Hm, I figured that 9 was the youngest I could make Fuji so that he was still innocent but was intelligent enough to understand complicated concepts. And four years later, he would have to be old enough to experience romance.**


	2. Ch1: As the Years Go By

**Disclaimer: Pssh, yeah, cuz I totally look like Konomi-sensei.  
**

**A/N: REUPLOADED and RE-EDITED! I did some MAJOR editing on this and I hope you like this version better than the previous one. If you don't...sorry. Edited again.  


* * *

**

**TEN years old**

**

* * *

**

Syusuke didn't like it but his parents insisted on giving him a babysitter—day care provider, he had corrected them—until he was 12 years old, even though he never got less than A+'s in school and excelled in flute as well as tennis. They figured that after Tezuka did not leave their house traumatized or even insanely disturbed (admittedly, they had expected the worst) that their dear darling son would be the same way with others.

They were _so_ wrong.

After Syusuke set Wakato's hair on fire, caused Sengoku to go into madness and live paranoid for what might well be the rest of his life, and sent Shiba off with a _lovely _new haircut, the Fuji parents knew that something was wrong (in actuality, it wasn't all Syusuke's fault—Syusuke was cooking with the flame too high and Wakato was standing too close; Sengoku locked himself in the attic while Syusuke was in the soundproof basement reading and listening to his MP3 player; Syusuke told Shiba he was practicing cutting hair for beauty school—it was her fault that she was stupid enough to believe him).

The rumor of the "evil chibi tensai" quickly spread throughout the whole babysitting network and not one person was willing to watch the sweetly smiling boy after that, much to his glee. And thus, his parents took it upon themselves to take care of their son. And that meant no more romantic restaurants or out of city vacations.

A week later, Yoshiko was ready to die of exhaustion. She did not remember Syusuke being this bouncy and energetic when he was a baby. He was so much more subdued back then. And as a result of trying to keep up with him, she was now constantly seen with frumpy clothes, a tangled bun haphazardly piled on the top of her head, and a look of raw insanity on her face.

Finally, she begged her husband to call Tezuka.

Although he was reluctant, he didn't think he could take lying bed curling up in the corner anymore. His wife had lately taken to turning and punching and kicking anything in her way during the middle of the night. And half the time, Syusuke crawled in with them and forced his dad to sleep in the center so that he was abused at night by Yoshiko _and_ Syusuke. And so it was with a resigned sigh that he dialed his old friend's number.

"Moshi moshi?"

"Ah, Kuniharu…um, I was wondering if you could do us a favor…_PLEASE_ …"

"U-uh, okay I guess," the father stuttered, somewhat alarmed at the hysteria in the man's voice. "What is it?"

"Well, about your son…"

* * *

"Sy-Syusuke," his mom called, sounding somewhat scared of the small boy. He supposed that his true nature _could_ frighten people, but he went easy on her because she was his mommy so really, she should be stronger.

"Hai?" he looked up from his drawing of Yuuta, clutching a brown crayon in his small hand.

"Your babysitter is here." Automatically, she took two steps away from the door. "He's waiting downstairs."

Her son opened his piercing blue eyes and she almost drew back in fear. Oh, _why _couldn't Yumiko do this? She wasn't intimidated by Syusuke because she had the exact same mind as him! She just _had_ to pick today to go out on a date, didn't she? Ugh, she knew that Takuma boy was no good.

After a moment of contemplation, Syusuke said, "Send him in."

His mother whimpered silently.

Soon Syusuke heard footsteps on the stairs, gradually getting louder as they neared his room. He sat up on his big bed, crossing his legs and watching the door with a steady gaze. When Tezuka Kunimitsu walked in, though, that faded in an instant.

"Tezuka-san," his mouth dropped open at the sight of his first babysitter. He hadn't seen the teenager in over half a year. Quickly, he schooled his expression into the practiced emotionless mask. But in seeing Tezuka's, he saw how inadequate it was. "What are you doing here?"

"I am babysitting you. Apparently, you've terrified every other babysitter in all of Honshu."

Syusuke smiled brightly. "They're just mad because I didn't obey them like every little kid is expected too."

"Hn," the boy, even taller now, said disbelievingly and set his bag down. "Can I use your desk?"

"Sure," Syusuke said, lying on his stomach once again and swinging his legs. "Why don't you use the one downstairs?"

"Your parents don't want me to let you out of my sight," he said, pulling out some thick textbooks. "They believe you'll hurt me if I turn my back for a moment."

"And do you believe that?" he asked, tilting his head in a way he knew others saw as cute.

Tezuka had no reaction. "I'm not worried."

Syusuke found it refreshing that someone was so relaxed around him (he suspected his parents were just being paranoid at the moment) and in dwelling on that, forgot to torture Tezuka and send him away crying. Or rather, he didn't _want_ to torture Tezuka and send him away crying (and he rather doubted that he could). Around 7:30, an hour after Tezuka had arrived, he finally heard the sound of the door opening and closing which signaled his parents' departure. Tch. Paranoid parental units.

"Ne, Tezuka-san," Syusuke said, only to realize that he wasn't in the room. Rather than look for him—he knew that the boy wouldn't leave—he walked up to his slightly too-tall desk, and climbed on the chair to get a better look at Tezuka's things.

His math book was opened to a section on calculus, something that Syusuke was sure was too advanced for a third year in middle school. Even _he_ couldn't understand it. The book under it was world history and from the half-finished essay on the side, Syusuke guessed that Tezuka was very good at that subject. He then perused through the rest of Tezuka's things and was reading an essay when Tezuka came back to his room. He smiled at Tezuka's disapproving glance, and looking more like a cat that caught its canary more than a boy caught with his hand in the cookie jar, Syusuke stated, "You're very good at this language, aren't you, Tezuka-san? History, too. But your science is somewhat lacking."

Tezuka fought back a rude remark easily. "Here." He decided not to respond to the little boy's statements on his academic progress and handed him a warm mug.

"What's this?" Syusuke took it without hesitation.

"Milk with honey and wasabi," he said, watching Syusuke down the drink in a few gulps feeling somewhat queasy. He did _not_ want to know what kind of palate this kid had. But his parents had told Tezuka that this was a potent drink that made him sleepy, so he might as well try it.

This turned out to be true when a few minutes later, Syusuke's eyelids started to droop. In a daze, he went to his bed and collapsed on the covers, falling asleep in about 3 seconds (...like they said, a _very_ potent drink. Tezuka silently wondered if Syusuke's parents drugged their child with this drink). Tezuka covered him with a thin blanket.

When Syusuke's parents found him sleeping while Tezuka peacefully read a book, all his homework finished and packed up, they devised a plan on how to trap him and make him babysit for them forever.

Now Tezuka came to their house once a month.

**ELEVEN years old

* * *

**

It was a rainy evening and Tezuka was still waiting for Syusuke to come home from school.

Yoshiko (who was thankfully calm and cheerful again) had asked him that afternoon to please wait until her son got home from his club activities. It surprised Tezuka that he was so late in coming home but he had no worries that the young boy could take care of himself, so he settled himself in the living room and read his English novel.

He knew something was wrong when Syusuke entered the house wet and crying.

Tezuka didn't rush to comfort him and the boy didn't dash into his arms. Rather, Syusuke stood there, tears and rainwater dripping on the carpet, until he silently came to sit beside his babysitter, who let Syusuke lean on him.

He could feel the water seeping into his shirt as it spread throughout his sleeve, but he didn't move. When Syusuke's body stopped shaking with small tremors, Tezuka dried him with a towel before laying him, still a bit damp, on the couch and covering him with a throw blanket.

When the Fujis came home later that night, they wondered how Tezuka had put their son to sleep without feeding him honey-wasabi milk (they were out of ingredients), using medical tranquilizers, or knocking him out.

And then they decided that this stoic high school 1st year was heaven-sent.

Tezuka now came over at least once a week.

**TWELVE years old

* * *

**

Many things happened the year Syusuke turned 12. For one, his birthday actually fell on a real date just a few weeks before the end of his 6th year.

Tezuka wondered why Syusuke invited him to his birthday party. It would be full of preteens that would most likely not enjoy his presence (he was surprised that Syusuke did) and destroy the Fuji house. But he did feel somewhat responsible for the honey-haired boy and Syusuke's parents did _not_ want to buy expensive consolation gifts again for sending children home ill or severely injured.

Hopefully Tezuka's presence would prevent that from happening.

Oddly they requested for him to arrive at their house at 10 in the morning. Syusuke was wide awake—albeit still in pajamas—and greeted him happily at the door. Tezuka simply raised a brow at his teddy-covered pajamas.

After eating a very late breakfast (Tezuka politely declined), the sandy-haired birthday boy dragged his babysitter up to his room, glomping his little brother while on the staircase. Syusuke then forced Tezuka to help him pick an outfit, to the teenager's utter bewilderment, and then dragged him on a walk through the town even though the stoic brunet was supposed to be helping with decorating.

"I should really be back at your house, Fuji-kun."

"Call me 'Syusuke.' Or at least 'Fuji'; you've known me for almost 3 years. And it's a day where my birthday actually exists so I'm special today. And therefore I can do whatever I want."

With his twisted logic, Tezuka suspected that he could justify murder in his mind.

Syusuke led his companion through endless winding roads, mostly where it was quiet and surrounded by large trees. He was mostly silent but occasionally gave into a childish whim to chase a pebble along the path and kick it like a miniature soccer ball. Tezuka followed the small boy down the walkway, although he didn't walk in curved paths like his charge did.

"Ne, Tezuka-san,"

"Hn?"

"Can I call you Tezuka?"

Tezuka blinked at the child's straightforwardness. It was actually rather rude of him since they were over 4 years in age difference and Tezuka, coming from a traditional family, wanted to say no; but then again he _had_ known the boy for almost 3 years. And, although it was hard to admit, he didn't really want to see Syusuke sad.

The small boy watched him expectantly.

"Do what you want."

Syusuke answered with his brightest smile.

It was mid-afternoon when they decided to head back and Tezuka was surprised to learn that Syusuke had a marvelous sense of direction even though they were in a neighborhood he had never seen before. In less than half an hour, they were sitting down at the table to enjoy a _normal_ lunch (although Yumiko did hand her little brother a small plate of homemade wasabi sushi) since Syusuke's parents actually had ordinary taste buds.

Yumiko had taken the day off of work to spend the whole day with her little brother and with a giggle, presented him with a Fujifilm Polaroid camera, which Syusuke was ecstatic over. Tezuka was slightly confused and asked Yumiko why she didn't get him a digital camera or the latest technology. The 22 year old woman adoringly explained that her sibling liked things of the past instead of the bustle and commotion of present day happenings. That was why he loved that instant camera, even though it was obsolete and discontinued.

While they finished up the food, the ever so perceptive Yumiko noticed the closeness of Syusuke and Tezuka (or rather, Syusuke's stubborn closeness and Tezuka's inaction) as they sat in the living room and teased, "Ne, Syusuke, did you find someone you like better than your nee-san while I was away?"

Syusuke grinned. "You know no one could ever replace you, nee-san. But Tezuka could catch up." He turned to the rigid teenager beside him. "But you need to work on your omelets. They're good but you have a long way to go."

Tezuka would've rolled his eyes if it wouldn't have completely ruined his reputation.

"Syusuke, you shouldn't call Tezuka-kun 'Tezuka.'" Yoshiko chastised as she stepped off a stepladder. Bending down, she rummaged through a cardboard box for more streamers. "It's rude."

"Tezuka's fine with it." The small boy waved it off.

"Is he?" the young-looking mother glanced pointedly at the bespectacled teenager.

"It's all right with me." Tezuka stated. To be honest, it wasn't, but he didn't want to upset the little boy and it didn't seem like such a big deal.

Sometime two hours later, a jumpy redhead arrived at the door decked out in a bright yellow t-shirt with an orange sun, lime green shorts, and teal-lined sneakers (considering that it was February, it was a wonder that he didn't freeze). Tezuka thought he might be blinded by the clashing neon colors. The boy waved to Syusuke and then they both headed to the kitchen where Tezuka was boiling water for his drink. The two blue-eyed boys shoved him out, saying that they were going to make the birthday cake, and left him with lukewarm tea that tasted like cardboard.

Soon other children started to arrive. The neon-clad redhead with the bandage on his nose—Kikumaru Eiji—emerged wearing a checkered apron that was splattered with blobs of flour and egg. Not really noticing, he gave the boy with the black fuzzy hair and green eyes a big hug and dragged him—along with a tall spiky-haired boy with very reflective glasses and a kind-looking brunet with sideburns—into the house.

Tezuka decided to move himself to the Fuji family's large basement, where the walls were lined with ceiling-to-floor bookshelves filled with Japanese literature, information manuals, how-to guides, manga (probably Yuuta's, Tezuka figured), and his favorite—Western books.

Too bad he didn't know that the party was taking place down there.

In a few minutes, swarms of 5 foot boys raced in like ants, completely destroying any hope Tezuka had for a quiet evening. He couldn't even melt into the background because everyone kept coming up to him.

Syusuke actually sat next to him on the lounger for most of the night. Kikumaru and Oishi—the fuzzy-haired boy—kept hanging around, sometimes talking to Syusuke, sometimes questioning him. It was annoying. He would've walked straight out of there if Syusuke didn't have a death grip on his arm.

For dinner, they had sushi, courtesy of Kawamura Takashi, and some kind of poisonous potion, courtesy of Inui Sadaharu. Luckily Kikumaru had the foresight to also prepare soda and punch, and also ban his friend from spiking the drinks with something called "Penal Tea."

The cake that Yumiko brought down for them—the one Kikumaru and Syusuke made—was practically the size of three of the kids at the party. However, when Tezuka turned away for five minutes, most of the chocolate confection was already gone when he looked back. He was sure he hadn't eaten like that when he was a young boy…well, young_er_ away.

Around 10 p.m., Tezuka was getting ready to leave when Syusuke straight out demanded that he sleep over. His mom scolded him for being so straightforward, but Tezuka agreed as long as it was okay with the Fujis. At their son's "I'm going to cry" look and hopelessly sad demeanor (probably taught to him by Yumiko), they relented and sent Tezuka home to get his things.

When he arrived home to get his things—his house was only a ten minute walk away—his mother told him that his friend Atobe called. Realizing he had not spoken to the egotistic maniac in a while, he decided to call back, if only to say hello. However, the diva kept talking for 20 minutes and after he hung up, an acquaintance by the name of Kite Eishirou called (although that was mostly to insult him…). And after that, it was some girl that didn't even go to their school who somehow managed to acquire his phone number.

By the time he made it back to Syusuke's house, it was an hour later and from what he could tell, the little boy was not happy. Yoshiko said it was okay, but she knew that it shouldn't have taken him long to pack his things and come back. With a small smile, she directed Tezuka to the living room, where several of the boys were already asleep and where Syusuke was talking to one of his friends quietly.

"Sorry. Someone called." Tezuka said once the other had left, presumably to change into his nightclothes.

Syusuke looked up with ice cold glaring eyes. "I'm sure."

"I'm sorry."

"I know you are." The small boy said sarcastically. Tezuka sat down next to him, a fair distance away as to not provoke Syusuke's wrath.

"I'm sorry."

Reluctantly, the blue-eyed boy scooted over a centimeter at a time, as if he was embarrassed of doing so. It was admittedly cute, Tezuka decided.

"Don't blow me off again, okay?" Syusuke ordered once he was sitting closely to his babysitter.

"I still came."

"After an hour. Next time when you're supposed to be with me, can't you make the other things less important?" he looked genuinely upset.

"…Okay."

Syusuke smiled. Tezuka sighed.

* * *

It was the middle of the night when Syusuke was awoken by stifled laughter.

He sat up and rubbed his eyes, searching for the source of the noise while silently yawning. When his eyes adjusted to the dim moonlight, he saw two sniggering figures hunched over the foldout couch where Tezuka was sleeping.

"Mm…" he mumbled while blinking his eyes. His mind was too dazed to grasp the situation.

"Shh!" a childish voice hushed. "Momo, be more quiet!"

"Eiji-senpai, you're the one who's laughing so loud!" another voice accused...loudly did he accuse.

When the sleepy haze was finally lifted, Syusuke blinked and stumbled out of his sleeping bag just as the spiky-haired figure bent over the sleeping teenager.

"What are you doing?!" the birthday boy whispered loudly and angrily. Luckily for him preteen boys at the party slept like logs so no one was awoken by his cry.

"Ah! Fuji!" Kikumaru gaped, clutching the multicolored markers in his hand like weapons.

"Fuji-senpai—ah, we…uh…" hurriedly, Momoshiro hid his permanent black marker behind his back.

Syusuke scowled. "Don't play pranks on Tezuka."

Kikumaru blinked. "Why not? I thought you hated your babysitters."

"Tezuka's not my babysitter." Momoshiro and Kikumaru sent each other a look. "He is simply being paid to watch me so nothing happens."

_That's a babysitter_…the two thought.

"Don't try to mess with Tezuka Kunimitsu," at this point, Syusuke struck a righteous pose, "because if you mess with him, you mess with me."

"…Of course…"

"So don't even try to touch him again, _understand_?" he opened his scary blue eyes. Momoshiro could practically hear the sound slicing through the air.

"Hai!" in a rush, Kikumaru tripped over Momoshiro's feet, crashing into the younger boy and sending him toppling on top of Syusuke's new kitty Daiya, who hissed and dashed up the stairs to Yumiko's room where she would most likely be safer.

After the two scurried off into their sleeping bags, Syusuke simply stood there in the large room, bathed by the moonlight, and stared at the sleeping 16 year old in front of him. He brushed the windswept brown bangs so that his face could be more clearly seen and giggled at the tranquil expression on Tezuka's face. With a smile, the birthday boy dragged Oishi out of the way and moved his sleeping bag so that it was right beside the couch.

* * *

It was one of those days when Yumiko had the day off and Syusuke didn't have any afterschool activities.

Of course it was still cold, as March had barely broken in yet, but the two siblings decided to commute to the porch swing while Syusuke waited for Tezuka to arrive. Yumiko, the kind big sister she is, wrapped her shawl around Syusuke's shoulders and made him a cup of extremely sugary hot chocolate (exactly how he liked it) to fight the frost in the air.

"Is Tezuka-kun coming over _again_?" Yumiko teased while rocking back and forth. "You don't even need a babysitter tonight. I wonder how he feels about taking so much time out of his life to come see you every time you demand it of him."

Her little brother pouted at her. She laughed.

"I'm just kidding, Syusuke. Okaa-san and Otou-san are in Yokohama anyway, so you can use that as an excuse."

"I don't need excuses. He comes whenever I ask him to anyway."

"Well, Tezuka-kun is a very polite young man, isn't it?" the beautiful woman grinned, taking a sip of her drink.

"Eh," Syusuke shrugged. "He could be better. I can tell he wants to throttle me sometimes."

His sister giggled. "Well, that's just because you like pushing his buttons so much."

"I'm trying to make him explode. Becoming a rock is not a healthy goal in life."

"Perhaps that's not the best way to make him show emotion, Syusuke…"

"It's probably the only way. He never smiles."

"That's probably because you're always trying to anger him."

"You're supposed to be on my side. Don't go defending the enemy."

"Oh, so Tezuka-kun is the enemy now?" Yumiko chuckled. Syusuke scowled. "I'm just kidding. So how's school going?"

"Even Mom doesn't ask me about that, you know."

"Well, your sister is. Are classes going well? Any bullies? Did you get in trouble for making Mizuki-kun cry again?"

"He tried to grope me. I have rights. But everything besides that is fine."

"He tried to _grope_ you? I thought he was after Yuuta. Have any girls caught your eye?"

"I think that he believes Yuuta is too young right now. At least he's sensible enough to know that I wouldn't tolerate him laying a hand on my little brother when he's barely 11. Hmm, I don't like any girls, but Tachibana's little sister keeps coming up to me. And Ryuzaki-san from the elementary school comes to our tennis practice a lot to attempt conversation with me. I don't see why; I mean, she already has a crush on a boy in her grade. I think he was Momo's best friend or something. Ah, Ijuuin asked me on a date last week. I don't even know how she knows me because she goes to a different school and she's 9. Let's see…Osakada tries to jump me when she drags Ryuzaki-san to our courts to stalk us during practice. And there's also Chitose-san, but she mostly hangs around me to get to Tezuka."

Yumiko stared.

"I see."

Both of them sat side by side in silence, Syusuke watching the gray-white sky and Yumiko sipping her coffee. It was a nice atmosphere.

"Tezuka!"

Jumping, Yumiko spilled some of her piping hot coffee on Daiya, who shrieked and dashed into the house. Flinching, the older sister made a mental note to give the cat some kitty treats as an apology.

She looked up to see Syusuke grasping the sleeve of Tezuka's shirt and pouting. "You're late."

"I had student council matters to deal with."

"It's Saturday."

"We still had morning classes." Tezuka reminded.

Shrugging, the small boy led him into the house, holding out ducky slippers for the boy to wear. Sighing—he did that a lot when it concerned Syusuke—he acquiesced and put them on, cringing when he found that they quacked while he walked.

From the door, Yumiko smiled at Syusuke's open laughter.

"Syusuke, I need to stop by the office for a while. Don't cause any trouble for Tezuka, okay?"

"Nee-san, you know I would _never_."

* * *

Syusuke was just getting out of the shower when the doorbell rang. He quickly threw on his clothes while shaking as much water out of his hair as possible before dashing down the stairs and throwing open the door for Tezuka…

…only to see a purple-haired…_thing_ there instead.

"...Who are you?" Syusuke narrowed his eyes while inconspicuously grabbing the phone on the stand nearby, ready to attack if need be. His parents had warned him about pedophiles and stalkers in the area.

"Atobe, you really didn't have to come." An exasperated voice said from behind the purple…_thing_. Tezuka pushed past the intruder, who apparently he was familiar with, to take off his shoes.

"Hmm; Ore-sama had to see what was keeping you so busy lately." Atobe flipped his hair and Syusuke cocked an eyebrow at the narcissistic action. Bending down, Tezuka's "friend" inspected his small frame and said indignantly, "_This_ is why you blew me off? How old is this boy? 10?"

"Hey you have no right to be rude in my house." Syusuke glared and crossed his arms. Unfortunately, the pose did not have the effect that he desired as the 12 year old was tiny and looked a bit like a girl. "What are you doing here?"

"Che," Atobe scoffed. "This kid's got an attitude."

"Atobe…san…please leave. We don't welcome strangers here."

"Oh, but I am not a stranger. I am Tezuka's friend and isn't a friend of his a friend of…whoever you are?"

"I live in this house and that puts me in a higher position to decide who is a stranger and who is not." Syusuke retorted.

"Yes, but you're so chibi that your opinion only counts for half of what it should."

The little brunet stared. This guy's logic was so twisted…actually, it was almost like his own. The thought made him shudder.

"Atobe, if you're just going to infuriate him, leave." Tezuka said from the kitchen while chewing on a carrot.

"Tezuka, are you actually _babysitting_ this brat?" Atobe asked incredulously, completely ignoring the tall boy's previous remark.

"I am not a _brat_, I am 12 years old!" Syusuke exclaimed. This guy was annoying…it made him want to chuck the phone at his big head…ooh, that sounded like a good idea.

"Don't even _think_ about throwing that at me." Atobe warned before he even raised his arm. "My family could have you arrested for attempted assault."

Syusuke blinked. They _were_ too far alike. That knowledge didn't fare well with the small boy. "Just get out of my house already! I don't know you and Tezuka certainly isn't begging you to stay, is he?"

The teenager in question didn't do anything to contradict his statement, preferring to keep out of Syusuke's—and Atobe's—messes.

Atobe glared. "I don't have time for little kids like you." With a graceful and dramatic turn of the heel, he marched out of the house to where a black stretch limo (where did _that_ come from?) was awaiting. "Ja, Tezuka!"

"Aah," was the apathetic reply.

Syusuke shut the door and locked it, ensuring that no more _unwelcome_ visitors would wander in. He then walked over to Tezuka, who had moved to the living room and was watching the news while doing his homework, and climbed onto his lap. Tezuka let his head rest on Syusuke's soft hair and wrapped an arm around his shoulders as they sat in silence.

* * *

**I torture Daiya a lot, don't I? Well, REVIEW. I usually don't pressure my readers into reviewing, but do you know how annoying it is to get so many story alerts for this fic and most of them don't review??**


	3. Ch2: The Closer They Become

**Disclaimer: Not mine. :/ What's a girl gonna do?  
**

**A/N: RE-EDITED. BECAUSE I THINK THE ORIGINAL SUCKED. Chapitre 2 is also edited, and they're kinda big changes (though no altering to the storyline) so you may wanna go check that out. And I'm sorry that it's taking so long to get Ch4 out. I have writer's block and I'm trying to overcome it.  


* * *

**

**IRRESISTABLE**

When Syusuke turned 13, Tezuka took him to his house for the first time.

His father had known him when he was a little kid so it was with an affectionate, "Hey, Syusuke," and a ruffle of his hair that he was greeted. His mother fell in love with him at first sight, as many people were wont to do (honestly, Tezuka thought it was because of his girlish appearance). His grandfather had been meditating and it was a well-known rule in the house that you _never_ interrupt Kunikazu when he was meditating if you didn't want to be judo-slammed into the ground, so Tezuka said nothing to the aged man.

They decided to prepare a meal for Syusuke's birthday. When Ayana learned about Syusuke's…unique palate, she prepared a lunch of jambalaya, spicy ramen, and wasabi sushi. Seeing how she was going all out to make the cute little boy happy (even though he couldn't finish all of it), no one protested against the _very_ spicy food even as they felt their mouths burning (Kuniharu was very tempted to take the kettle of green tea and pour it down his throat). After a finishing bowl of apples (Syusuke skipped the green ones, saying that he did not like sour food), Tezuka took him to the zoo.

Like humans (most, anyway), all the animals loved Syusuke. This seemed okay for the 17 year old babysitter until the lions started sauntering down the hills directly towards them, eyes gleaming. Of course, the caretakers_ said_ they were well fed and the zookeeper _said_ they were tamed, but the lionesses were following Syusuke's every move and the fence was only _3 feet high_ and therefore Tezuka found it reasonable to tear out of there as fast as possible while still barely keeping his dignity, dragging Syusuke behind him.

The arctic animals were safer, Tezuka decided. Unlike the open hills, there was a thick wall of glasses in between them and he felt comfortable knowing that no matter how much the penguins pecked and flapped their wings at the barrier, they would not be able to touch the gently smiling boy who at the moment was…talking to them.

"Penguin-san, how are you today?" he said, moving closer to the animals before immediately being tugged back by Tezuka. "Do you like it in there? I wonder if they're feeding you enough…"

"Please stop talking to the animals." Tezuka said. "It will only encourage them."

"You're being silly, Tezuka." he giggled.

At the petting zoo, the fluffy lambs cuddled up to Syusuke, rubbing against his clothes and sniffing his pockets. Tezuka made a connection from the scene to Bo Peep.

The next stop was the forest animals. Immediately, the birthday boy seemed to develop an attachment to a small bear cub. As he watched his charge teasing the baby by moving his finger along the glass, Tezuka noticed the similarities between the two: tiny, adorable, and fluffy (in a way, the description fit him), but if you underestimated it, it would destroy you. Or have something bigger destroy you. Hn. Cute…and slightly malevolent.

Halfway into the trip, Tezuka was starting to get really annoyed.

The giraffes all wanted to be fed by _Syusuke_, the koala bears all wanted to be held by _Syusuke_, the snakes all wanted to wrap themselves around _Syusuke_, and the butterflies all wanted to land on _Syusuke_. That day, Tezuka decided he was never taking Syusuke to the zoo ever again.

* * *

**MEETING**

Syusuke was at Tezuka's house when the subject was brought up.

"Kunimitsu, when's your graduation again?" Ayana asked as she set down a cup of tea for each of them. "Fuji-kun could probably come."

"I'm not in the ceremony. That's only for the graduating third years. There'd be no point."

"I see…" his mother looked contemplative. "Well, either way we'll have a party for you when you come home."

Tezuka would've groaned if he didn't have amazing self-control. "Please don't."

But against Tezuka's wishes (who actually heeded them anyway?), Syusuke went to his high school that day, though he got many weird looks because of his different school uniform and his small stature. To Syusuke, the ceremony was so unbelievably _boring_ since there was nobody in it that he knew and he couldn't find Tezuka in the audience. So when headed outside to the courtyard and caught sight of his babysitter standing by the gates, Syusuke dashed forward and crashed into Tezuka's back, his arms reflexively wrapping around him. He found these acts of intimacy more appropriate now that they were much closer than before.

"Tezuka!"

"Agh! What the—what are you doing here?" Tezuka recovered from his initial shock—that was possibly the most expression Syusuke has ever seen from him—and twisted his body so he could see the little boy clinging to his back.

"I came here to see you, of course." Syusuke explained with an innocent smile and a cute tilt of his head. "Aren't you happy to see me?"

"My, Tezuka, I didn't know you had an affinity for little boys."

It was then that Syusuke took notice of the two other boys there. The one who spoke had midnight blue hair with shininess that rivaled Syusuke's. The other one had a cap and reminded him of Tezuka—a big rock.

"I'm his babysitter, Yukimura." Tezuka mumbled with a glare, fixing his glasses that had gone crooked as a result of Syusuke's assault.

"Day care provider," Syusuke corrected. "And you're not _really_ my babysitter anymore."

"As long as your parents still pay me, I am still your babysitter," Tezuka replied.

Syusuke wrinkled his nose. He wondered how his parents could afford vacations _and_ pay Tezuka. He came over _a lot_. Syusuke knew for one that his dad's job did not pay the most money in the world. Then again, he had no clue what his mom did for a living. _Maybe they won the lottery…_

"Yukimura, let's go." The boy with the black cap said. On the surface, he looked mean but Syusuke had a suspicion that he was a big softie just like Tezuka was (or like Syusuke suspected he was).

Later when Tezuka took him to watch his special tennis practice for regulars' only and he saw Sanada slap everyone who lost their practice matches, he changed his mind.

* * *

**ALWAYS**

"You grew…" Tezuka announced with mild shock as he checked once more that Fuji was aligned correctly against the wall.

"Really?" the boy's voice was disbelieving.

"Aah…" Tezuka said somewhat absently. This had never happened before. Syusuke had been so small and tiny and chibi for the entire 4 years that Tezuka's known him. Of course, he had gotten taller, but it was millimeters at a time and Tezuka had never seen a difference.

"Sugoi!" Syusuke cried in joy and Tezuka was reminded of Akutagawa Jiroh, a sleepy player on the tennis team who Atobe constantly spoiled. "But…"

"Hmm?" Tezuka saw Syusuke's face turn sad in contemplation.

"If I'm getting bigger, then you can't hold me anymore." the boy looked down, eyes drooping and disappointed.

"…It's 2 centimeters. The most you'll gain is maybe 3 kilograms and you were already underweight."

"But I could be going through a growth spurt," Syusuke said anxiously. Tezuka could honestly say that this was the first time Syusuke seemed _sad_ about getting taller. Usually, he prayed for it. "And if you can't hold me anymore, Ato-baka and Sanada-san will hit you."

"That's ridiculous," Tezuka sighed. No matter how old he got, Syusuke still had the mindset of a child. Like a parent with his child, he took Syusuke's hand and led him to the couch. After sitting down, Tezuka lifted Syusuke's small frame up and set it in his lap, where it settled in a little too enthusiastically. Warningly, Tezuka shifted him away a bit, making Syusuke pout. But he snuggled his head against the crook of Tezuka's neck anyway and Tezuka in turn gently wrapped his arms around the warm body (and pushed him slightly away when he hugged Tezuka like a koala).

"See? It's fine." Tezuka said comfortingly.

Syusuke just closed his eyes and smiled.

* * *

**TEXT ME**

School had been going on for four months and summer break _still _wasn't here yet and Tezuka was ready to jump into the swimming pool wearing his school uniform. Luckily, Sanada held him back from making a fool out of himself. Tezuka pointed out that he'd seen Atobe do it before. Sanada told him that Atobe was an idiot. Yukimura told him to be nice.

Exams were torturous to him right now and his glasses were constantly fogging up and slipping down his nose, which was slippery with sweat. Had he been any less dignified, he would've screamed at the top of his lungs. He was coming very close to doing so.

Lunch was also insufferable. Because of the weather, no sane person went outside to eat these days and so Yukimura and Sanada headed to the rooftop every day. Tezuka knew better than to follow. He had done it once and had realized that his friends did not care about an audience and they would have their "alone time" whether Tezuka was watching or not. He never went up there with them again.

But he was seriously considering it as Atobe went on and on _and on_ about "ore-sama's _amazing_ vacation at the Carribeans, Bahamas, Australia, France, England, California, _and_ Switzerland last month." Tezuka wondered if he could push Atobe off the stairwell and somehow make it look like an accident. Of course he would have to visit him in the hospital maybe once or twice but he could pretend he forgot because all the tests were piling up on him…

"Oi, Tezuka, are you listening?"

"No."

"Good, now back to my story about how on my yacht I…"

Tezuka sighed. The last few summers, he had Syusuke's air-conditioned house to go to. But the boy was on a family vacation to Alaska (smart move) and Tezuka now trudged home every day to his humid, burning traditional home where his mother made too much food (her way of beating the heat) and forced him to eat it, his father hogged all the icepacks, and his grandfather came home every day at 10:00 p.m. because the police station he worked at was cold.

"Atobe."

"Aah? What is it Tezuka? Did my amaz—"

"Shut up."

And with that, Tezuka packed up his half-eaten lunch and headed towards the nurse's office where he could lay down in the cot under the fan where it was dark and sleep until break was over.

The nurse greeted him with a flirty smile, which he ignored. Tezuka told her he felt sick and needed to rest and though albeit slightly disappointed, she let him. After all, he was Tezuka Kunimitsu.

Nurse Hanamura left soon after—possibly to harass some more boys, Tezuka thought—and Tezuka could breathe again without the scent of overpowering perfume drifting all the way to the other side of the large infirmary. Five minutes after he had fallen asleep, Tezuka awoke to the vibrating phone in his pocket. He knew he wasn't supposed to have it on or even in school, but frankly, in his situation, he didn't give a damn.

_1 new text message from:  
Fuji Syusuke_

He pressed the open button and read:

_Hey Tezuka! :) Guess what? I saw a polar bear UP CLOSE today. :D It was really big. :O_

Tezuka found himself smiling at the message (and the multitude of emoticons). He clicked reply and typed:

_When are you coming back?_

A reply came soon after.

_Why? Do you miss me, Tezuka? ;)_

Tezuka hesitated before texting:

_Yeah._

Across the world in Alaska, Syusuke blushed.

* * *

**SURPRISE**

One cold blustery morning, Tezuka was awakened by a persistent ringing of the doorbell. He wondered if he could just ignore it…but his grandfather slept in a building apart from the main house, so he couldn't possibly answer it; his mother also slept like a brick and his father's snoring was loud enough to drown out a blaring fire truck so they couldn't answer it either. Of course, it was up to him.

Sliding on a robe, he trudged down the stairs while yawning, his glasses askew. The clock said it was 4:50. No one sane woke up this early.

"Who is it?" he muttered. He didn't even care that he sounded like a lazy bum. At 5 in the morning, he _was_ a lazy bum.

He opened the door without waiting for the answer and was immediately shocked back to life at the sight of Syusuke standing there bundled up like a brown marshmallow.

"Happy birthday, Tezuka!" he announced cheerfully, holding up an orange and green gift-wrapped package out with both hands. It reminded Tezuka of a tangerine.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, alarmed. The boy was wearing a long fluffy down coat and a scarf but his face was flushed and even though he was smiling, Tezuka could see the shivers overtaking his body. Quickly he led him inside, noticing that his bare hands were freezing. "You're going to get sick."

"I'll be fine." he said, still glowing up at his babysitter. Tezuka sat him down on the living room couch and quickly shed his jacket and scarf, revealing the Mt. Fuji nightshirt underneath. Looking around, he grabbed the closest thing and wrapped the object—a furry throw blanket—around him.

"Why are you here? And don't you know that you could get hypothermia like this?" he asked almost angrily. Syusuke was struggling against the tight cocoon he was wrapped in and glaring at Tezuka.

"I'm not going to die, Tezuka! And I'm choking, so get me out of this thing." he complained, wriggling like a worm.

Eventually Tezuka did let him out but insisted that he lay on the couch while he looked for a thermometer to take his temperature. Syusuke growled as Tezuka shoved the thing under his tongue but stayed still until the process was completed.

"You have a fever," Tezuka accused. "How long were you out there?"

"Well, I know it usually only takes 10 minutes to get here but I got lost on the way there and it was dark so I ran into a tree and then I had to stop in the park to wipe away the blood and then a squirrel chased me for a few blocks and I realized I was lost and it took me half an hour to find your house again," he said, reciting the events.

"…Exactly how early did you intend to be here?"

"Mm, maybe 4:00," he decided. "I wanted to make sure I was the first one to wish you a happy birthday. You said that your grandpa wakes up really early so I wanted to be earlier." He finished with another smile.

Despite wanting to lecture Syusuke some more, Tezuka found that he couldn't when the boy insisted on being so _sweet_. Resigned, he sat down beside Syusuke, where he leaned his head against Tezuka's shoulder and almost immediately fell asleep. Making a mental note to call Syusuke's parents later so they didn't have a heart attack when they went to check on their son and found an empty bed, Tezuka drifted eagerly into dreamland, now with a life-size teddy bear.

* * *

**CELEBRATION**

Holidays were very elaborate events in the Fuji household.

Around Halloween, Yoshiko unpacked all the decorations (many…many decorations) and set Tezuka and Fuji Sr. to work while she, Yumiko, Yuuta, and Syusuke hung streamers and carved pumpkins. Right now, they were on top of the roof with cardboard cutouts of vampires, mummies, ghosts, werewolves, and fairy princesses.

Somehow the last one didn't seem right.

"Fuji-san, is this _really_ necessary?" Tezuka asked, clinging to the chimney.

"Yoshiko wants it. _Never_ get in the way of what Yoshiko wants." His face scrunched up in what must've been a very painful memory. "Oh yeah, hang these up over there."

Tezuka barely managed to keep his balance as a large, HEAVY box was chucked at his head. If it wasn't for tennis he wouldn't have such good reflexes.

After all the decorations were nailed down or hung up, they were faced with a different dilemma.

"Tezuka-kun, use the ladder!" Yoshiko called out worriedly. "It's not that far down!"

"Yes it is." Her husband mumbled. She shot him a glare.

"Hmm…maybe he could go down the chimney?" Yumiko asked, looking contemplative.

"I think that's more suited for Christmas." Syusuke pointed out.

They sighed.

In the end, Tezuka ended up falling into a row of bushes, most without their leaves. Now the injured teenager was in Syusuke's room while the boy applied disinfectant to the wounds.

"Sorry," Syusuke said as Tezuka winced. "Does that hurt?"

Tezuka glared at him, saying without words: _What do you think??_

Narrowing his eyes, the boy rubbed the cotton ball harder, causing Tezuka to hurriedly suppress a shriek, and told him, "You know that this is your fault, right. If you weren't scared to go down the ladder, you wouldn't be in this position."

It pained Tezuka to admit that Syusuke was right.

When all his wounds were bandaged, Yumiko came into the room with a large suitcase. After stating that Syusuke needed a Halloween costume for the party and that it was a "fashion faux pas" to repeat outfits and that they wouldn't have time to go to the store and pick up a good one, she told him that he would be choosing from their cousins' and her old collection.

"What about this?" Yumiko asked for Tezuka's opinion, holding up a gothic Lolita dress.

"No." Tezuka stated firmly. The older Fuji let out a small laugh.

"Then…this?" she emerged with a playboy kitty costume.

"NO."

A maid.

"NO."

A fairy.

"NO."

Tarzan.

"No…wait, that might work."

Oops, wait—girl Tarzan.

"No."

A nurse.

"NO."

A schoolgirl.

"NO!"

A devil's mistress.

"_**NO**_!"

Imagining Syusuke in these costumes was giving Tezuka a headache and the siblings' very badly concealed laughter was not helping.

"Then…"

"Do you have anything in there _not_ inappropriate _or_ a dress?"

"Hmm…an angel?" she held up a pure white tunic, complete with feathered wings and a plastic halo.

"…It'll do."

* * *

**SAY IT**

One oddly warm November Sunday, Syusuke and Tezuka were sitting on a bench in the park eating ice cream.

"Tezuka,"

"Hmm?"

"How come you never call me by my name?"

"I thought I had already agreed to do so."

"But you never have."

"…"

"See?"

"I didn't think it mattered."

"It does to me!"

"…Sorry."

"Mou, you don't have to apologize."

Silence.

"Ne, Tezuka."

"Hn?"

"Say Syusuke."

"…Huh?"

"Say 'Syusuke,' my name! Jeez, you're so airheaded for a student council president aren't you?"

"…"

"Now say it."

"Why?"

"I thought we just went over this."

"…Syusuke."

"Say it again."

"Syusuke."

"And again."

"Syusuke…"

"And now say it in a sentence."

"What?"

"Saa, like 'Syusuke is my best friend in the whole wide world.'"

"Syusuke is…my best friend…in the whole wide…world…"

"Now say 'Syusuke is adorable.'"

"Syusuke is…adorable."

"Mou, do think I'm un-cute or something, Tezuka?!"

"No…that's not it…"

"Then say it with _conviction_!"

"Syusuke is adorable…"

"See? Now say it again."

This process repeated until Tezuka's voice was hoarse from overuse and Syusuke was happily licking Tezuka's strawberry popsicle.

* * *

**ANEW**

"Syusuke, you _are_ aware that today is New Year's Eve, right?"

"Of course."

"Then why are you wearing a Santa costume?"

"Because you were in America over Christmas and I didn't get to show you my cute outfit!"

"You are such a girl…"

"Excuse me?"

"Nothing."

"That's what I thought. Now let's go!"

Closing the door behind him, he grabbed hold of Tezuka's arm and dragged him outside into the streets.

"Syusuke, isn't it traditional to go to a festival?" Tezuka asked as they headed the opposite direction from the lights of the city.

"Yes, but since you were in America, we're going to spend it the American way. Or at least, _my_ American way." Syusuke smiled brightly. Inconspiciously, he slid his hand down the older boy's until he could slide his palm into Tezuka's. Though the student council president noticed this move, he did not comment.

"Then where are we going?" Tezuka asked, since he didn't recognize the street they were on.

"To the big clock tower in town square," Syusuke informed him. "I found a way to climb it."

"Nothing illegal, I hope."

Syusuke laughed. "Not this year. There's a door in the back with stairs winding up. We'll stop once we reach the balcony."

"We're not going to the top?"

"No, the top is really scary. And cramped."

"Have you ever gone up there?" Tezuka glanced at the younger boy, who was now only just a head and a half shorter than him. He certainly had grown over winter break.

"No, I've never climbed it before. But there's a really scary myth about the highest room. Do you want me to tell you?" he asked with glowing excitement. He loved telling stories.

"If you want to," Tezuka enjoyed hearing them. Especially Syusuke's, although they were a bit unrealistic and highly exaggerated most of the time.

"Okay. Well, you know how there are 4 clock faces on the tower?" he continued without waiting for an answer, "Well, they say that in the center of those used to be a torture chamber. It was supposed to have no door and no windows—"

"How would they get prisoners in there if it had no door or windows?"

"Hmm…I dunno…trapdoor? Anyways, there was this one guy who was falsely convicted of stealing his master's horse—"

"Is that really enough to get put in a torture chamber?"

"I suppose, if it was ancient times. They said that anyone who would dare come up there—"

"Once again, I ask: how would they get up there?"

"I don't know! Let's just say that there was a trapdoor that had to be opened by a key and the prisoner couldn't break out because he was weak with no food and handcuffed."

"But if he was handcuffed, then how would he strangle people?"

"You're taking all the fun out of this."

"Sorry. Please continue."

"Anyway, let's just say that he escaped his handcuffs—I DON'T KNOW HOW," he interrupted when he saw that Tezuka was going to say something, "BUT HE DID—and he would kill all the guards that would come up there."

"Wouldn't it get really crowded with dead bodies?"

"You're lucky I have patience with you. Hmm…let's say he ate them."

"That's highly unsanitary."

"He was crazy and he was starving, Tezuka."

"What about the bones?"

"…I do not like you very much right now. Maybe he ate those too. But back to the story. They say that his spirit is still there and will strangle anyone who dares go up there."

"Isn't there a giant bell up there now?"

"No that's above the clock. They added that about thirty years ago. I think they imported it from Europe. It's supposed to really beautiful and decorated with jewels on the inside."

"I don't see the point of putting them on the inside."

"You don't see the point of a lot of things. I think it's supposed to symbolize something. And back to the clock tower—my friend Saeki climbed the tower with his sister once. He told me that the closer they got to the room, the colder it became."

"That's probably because it's higher up."

Syusuke pouted and pinched Tezuka's palm.

"Ow." Tezuka held up his hand to examine the slightly red mark before Syusuke grabbed it back.

"You deserved it. This story's no more fun with your logic."

"But your story contradicts itself."

Syusuke stuck out his tongue. "Ooh, look. We're here."

Tezuka looked up to find them in front of a very intricately designed tower. Syusuke led him around back and Tezuka caught sight of him using a pin to open the lock on the door.

"Not illegal, huh?" he raised an eyebrow. Syusuke shot him an annoyed glance.

It was very dark inside, except for the lights that shined in through the glass panes. Syusuke held his arm as they headed up the steps. When they reached an opening, he led Tezuka through to a balcony overlooking Tokyo.

"Ne, it's pretty, isn't it?" Syusuke leaned against the balcony and Tezuka immediately pulled him back. "Hey!"

"You're going to fall."

"Whatever you say," he shrugged and reached into his inside pocket and pulled out a box. "Do you want some mochi?"

"I thought this was going to be an American Christmas."

"Just take the damn mochi, Tezuka."

"Language, Syusuke."

"Hai, hai."

They sat down on a stone step and ate in silence as they watched the city. Tezuka watched Syusuke as the wind whipped through his hair.

"Syusuke, you're going to get cold." Tezuka warned.

"It's okay. This jacket is warm." Syusuke smiled gently. "Ne, Tezuka…"

"Hn?"

"You're going to college after graduation, aren't you?"

He stiffened. They hadn't discussed this topic before and Tezuka didn't have any intention to until it was inevitable. He guessed that was now.

"Where do you want to go?" the smaller boy asked, a soft smile still on his lips.

"Maybe Germany…"

"Hmm, that's far, isn't it?" Syusuke leaned against the stone wall. "Call me when you're there, ne?"

"Aah…"

"And email, too…"

"You have an email?"

"I'm almost 14, Tezuka. Of course I do…" the city lights reflected in his expressionless eyes as he gazed over the scenery.

"…Are you upset?" he asked.

Syusuke sighed and shook his head. "What kind of friend would I be if I kept you from reaching the top because of something so selfish? I'm a little sad but you'll visit during vacations, right?"

"Maybe…if time allows."

Syusuke scowled for a brief moment, only to allow that peacefully tranquil look to take over again. "Tezuka, am I your best friend?"

Tezuka would've usually said to anyone else that Sanada, Yukimura (that wouldn't be necessarily true, however, because he and Sanada were much closer…in many ways), or even _Atobe_ was his best friend, but when he thought about it, Syusuke had definitely become one of the most important people in his life.

"Yes." Tezuka replied. Syusuke beamed. "We'll always be friends."

It was then that Tezuka turned Syusuke and, for the first time, pulled him into a hug, and it was then that Syusuke realized he wanted them to be _more_.

* * *

**Let's see who can guess where the scary story came from :) The original wasn't in a clock tower, but it was at the top. Hint: _the master's horse_.**

**And I think that the bell should be easy to guess too. What famous fictional bell has beautiful jewels on the inside but is plain on the outside?**

**I have a question for all my readers who have probably realized that I like weird formats. What kind of format should I do for the next chapter? Should I continue with this multiple scenarios or a story-like thing? If I do the scenario-scene then it will be different than Years and Words, of course. Gimme your opinions! No, seriously.**


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